Legacy
by iWriter88
Summary: Oaths shattered...Choices made...A Legacy Revealed. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE. ExA, Book 4.
1. Synopsis

**Book 4: Legacy**

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_**Oaths shattered…**_

_**Choices made…**_

_**A Legacy Revealed.**_

The Varden are teetering on the edge of defeat. They are outnumbered and their only rider, Eragon Shadeslayer, must defeat two riders singlehandedly if they are to achieve victory. The news of the Eldunari is a mixed blessing-although there is now a way to weaken the two riders severely, the knowledge that Galbatorix has hundreds of energy beacons at his disposal is not good. And of course, Galbatorix has also begun work on a new project, one that could prove fatal to the struggling Varden and the waning elves. However, even in the greatest darkness, there is light.

"_I search for the answer!" exclaimed Tenga. "A key to an unopened door, the secret of the trees and plants. Fire, heat, lightning, light…" _What do these words mean? Is it possible that Eragon can use this answer to finally defeat Galbatorix?

And also, where and what is the Rock of Kuthian? _"When all seems lost, and you power insufficient, go to the Rock of Kuthian and speak your name to open the Vault of Souls."_

It has been a hundred years since the sapphire egg was stolen from the depths of Ura'baen Palace, bringing hope to a dwindling nation, and beginning the war that has raged on for a hundred years. Little does anyone know that a similar act will soon take place, shaking the balance once again. But will it be enough to stop the tyrant king?

I now present my version of the final installment to the Inheritance Cycle, by iWriter88. Enjoy.

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**Disclaimer: All characters except for those created by me belong strictly to Christopher Paolini. I do not profit in any way from the writing of this story.**

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A/N: I decided to go through with the story. Still, this story is liable to be terminated at any time. With that being said, read and review!


	2. Prologue

**Prologue: Sacrifice**

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_Noble death is a treasure that none are too poor to buy. –Roonwit the Centaur_

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Two guards paced along a dark hallway, holding up bright torches that flickered, wraithlike, in the darkness. They walked listlessly, with the heads bowed down and their feet dragging along the coal-black floor. After a few minutes, one of them spoke.

"C'mon Haldor, this is just a waste of time," the guard said, boredom etched clearly in his face. "Nothing ever happens here. Let's just take a nap, wake up the next day, and pretend we were on duty."

Haldor, a timid man with a pale complexion, stuttered, "B-but what if the k-king c-c-catches us? W-we'll be h-hanged on account of t-treason!" He finished his sentence with a high-pitched squeak. "D-did you s-see w-what happened to R-Rinmar last week?"

"Rinmar was a rotten bastard who was sold out only because he was a complete dickhead," he replied. "We aren't. Besides, he was stupid enough to try sleeping on castle duty. There we go, case closed, I'm going to sleep."

"B-but w-what if someone a-actually tries to get the e-egg?" Haldor asked, still dubious.

"Yeah, that hasn't happened in what, a hundred years?" The guard rolled his eyes. "Besides, --"

His mouth suddenly opened in a soundless scream. Protruding from his stomach was a slim blade, stained red with blood. After a second, the guard toppled over.

Behind him, a female elf stood, looking straight at Haldor. With a cry, Haldor began to run, trying in vain to escape and sound the alarm. The elf leapt gracefully through the air and brought her blade down, running her sword into his rapidly beating heart. He fell soundlessly, not knowing that tonight, _history would be made._

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All over the dungeon, guards died one by one. They had grown arrogant after a hundred years of inaction, and thus, not even a single guard out of fifty managed to sound the alarm. The elf moved like the wind, striking with such speed and grace that the guards were completely taken by surprise. Even the magic users were overwhelmed quickly, failing to notice that guards had been slain. After just a mere hour, the elf had defeated all the guards and made it to the egg chamber.

At first glance, it looked as if Galbatorix had simply left his last, remaining egg to the defense of the guards. The emerald-green egg lay in the very center of a small room, which was completely empty and utterly devoid of life. However, at a second glance, the elf noticed runes carved along the floor and the sides of the room. These spells were, no doubt, learned from the shade Durza, as they bore markings that looked unorthodox and different from any magic the elves used. The elf looked longingly at the egg again, and then began whispering words under her breath. After a few minutes, the elf sprinted in.

Almost instantaneously, energy spells detonated around her. The elf was quickly reduced to a crawl; although her wards blocked the spells from touching her, she lost energy rapidly. For a few seconds, she was surrounded by a nimbus of crackling, multi-colored energy. However, her wards soon gave way, and the spells quickly impacted.

The elf's body was licked by flames, chilled by ice, bruised by earth, and scarred by air all at the very same time. However, by some force of will, the elf continued crawling. She was so close…

Painstakingly, she placed a single finger, charred black from the flames, onto the egg. Even as her body was mutilated, she began to mouth words frantically. Suddenly, the green egg vanished in a bright, purple flash. Her task complete, the elf slumped over, dead, a smile gracing her otherwise unrecognizable, scarred features.

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A/N: I looked at my story and decided it needed some cleanup. First, I realized that I needed a much better summary. You can go admire it now =D. Second, I edited this chapter a little, especially the 2nd part. And third, I decided to go ahead on my 2nd chapter. I'm currently writing it at the moment.


	3. A Hero's Sacrifice

**Review Reply**

**ElfPrincessCJ**: Haha, thnx for the double reviews! Can't help but feel that I don't really deserve that praise, but I'll take it. As for the elf, she is quite clearly dead. More on her later in this chapter.

**Canadian-Girl 14**: Ooh, thnx, a review. Yays.

**Elvendiath**: Why did everyone think the elf was Arya? *hint hint* PURPLE FLASH and what type of writer kills of a main character in the very first chapter? Well, thanks for the reviews, the encouragement, and all that stuff.

**E-J99**: I'm continuing it, so you can't yell at me now. Although, historically, I've had a notoriously bad streak for continuing stories, so don't get too mad at me if I suddenly stop it. You'll just have to enjoy what I'm offering at the present. =D

**???**: I guessed your identity lol. Was glad for the double reviews, but don't you think your overdoing your praise a little? My story isn't THAT good lol…well, actually, I don't even particularly like my own story. xD

**Elvin-blade**: Thanks, reviews are definitely appreciated. For all those other readers, DO THE SAME!!!

**Rainbowsix**: See Elvendiath's review reply above, and thanks for the review!

**ALL**: Unfortunately, I've never been good at writing aftermaths/stuff like that. It's always been a weakness of mine, so don't get too bored as you read this chap. Well, thanks for the reviews, and keep on reviewing!

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**Chapter 1: A Hero's Sacrifice**

"_The road goes ever on and on; down from the door where it began…" –Gandalf the Grey_

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_His sword flashed through the air, aiming straight for Galbatorix's throat. The evil king laughed, and merely ducked, sending Brisingr slashing through empty air. Galbatorix then proceeded to kick Eragon, and, with a cry of pain, Eragon fell, sprawling to the floor. With an ominous smile, Galbatorix sauntered over to Eragon, spinning his sword in wide circles. One hard slash, and Brisingr was knocked from his grip. Galbatorix then leaned over, and—_

BAM! A firecracker exploded overheard, rousing him from his sleep. Eragon winced as his ears rang with the sound, and then got up. It was no use trying to sleep now, with all the fireworks exploding overheard and people running around with party fever…

But then again, he didn't exactly want to sleep, did he? Ever since Oromis died, Eragon was reminded constantly of the vast power that Galbatorix held, with his hundreds of Eldunari. His dreams of late had all been preoccupied with defeating the evil king. And to add insult to injury, he realized that he was now 0-5 in his dream-fights with Galbatorix.

Hoping to rid himself of such gloomy thoughts, he called, _Saphira!_

_Yeeesh, Errragon?_ Saphira replied. Eragon was puzzled for a moment, until he touched minds with Saphira and found…

_You've been drinking again. _Eragon said, in an accusatory tone. _How many barrels of mead was it this time?_

_I loooossst count afther twenshty. _Saphira replied, without the slightest hint of guilt in her thoughts.

_Well, have fun waking up tomorrow! _Eragon said, sarcastically. After Saphira gave her thanks, Eragon sighed and went outside, fully intent on enjoying the multi-colored celebrations and forgetting his troubles for one night.

Until he smelled the familiar scent of fresh pine trees.

"Arya!" Eragon exclaimed, surprised. "Umm…I was just on my way to enjoy the celebrations, care to join me?"

Arya, who looked rather downcast, shook her head. "As much as I would love to, there has been a far more pressing matter that has arisen. So, if you could follow me-"

Arya sprinted through the crowd, in an inexplicable display of grace. She seemed to almost float over the air, her motions silent, while the wind rustled by her. Eragon sighed. Whether it was from annoyance or heartbreak, he did not know. After seeing Arya suddenly come to a halt and look questioningly back, Eragon composed himself, and then sprinted into the crowd after her, grim and unsmiling.

They arrived at Lady Lorana's mansion, which was decorated beautifully. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, dangling sparkling, multi-colored crystals, while plush furnishings and gold trimmings adorned the walls. Eragon felt a little awed as he walked in, since the mansion was a lot bigger than what he was used to. A servant, with a yellow dress, greeted Eragon and Arya as they walked in, and then motioned down the hall.

"They are waiting for you at the table." She bowed slightly, her eyes moving curiously to Eragon, before stepping aside and picking up her broom.

At the table, Eragon could see Nasuada and King Orrin arguing over some rather perplexing matter…

"Can you not see that this is marvelous stone that actually can attract other stones? Think of the possibilities if we developed this to its-, "Orrin exclaimed, waving his arms frantically.

Nasuada quickly interrupted him and said, in a reasonably calm voice, "I sit here, working 24/7 about how to defeat Galbatorix, and you occupy 90% of your time with the strange properties of a rock!? Does that make sense to you!!!?" By the time she uttered the last word, her voice had risen to a furious shriek.

Confused, Eragon turned to Arya, but Arya smiled and then stepped forward, into plain view.

"BUT THAT'S-oh, Arya, how good to see you. Lady Nasuada and I were merely...having difficulties seeing eye to eye on a certain matter. But that's beside the point. Come, sit, help yourselves to some drink! We should be _celebrating_, after all," Orrin finished, glaring at Nasuada and emphasizing the last few words.

Nasuada merely glared back, and then said, "So why have you called this meeting, Arya? You said it was a matter of utmost importance."

Arya looked uncomfortable. She was looking downwards, as if trying to say something but unsure of how to say it. After a while, she said, "Well…one of my best friends died."

"I'm sorry," Eragon immediately said, out of habit. Arya smiled briefly, a smile that never reached her eyes. Similar cries were heard from both Nasuada and Orrin, but for a while, everything was silent. Then, Nasuada broke the silence.

"But that is hardly enough reason to hold a meeting, Arya. I mean you no offense, but surely you had another motive for this meeting?" Nasuada asked.

Arya sighed. "My mother has the third dragon egg. We received it just ten minutes ago."

"B-but…that's fantastic news! The third dragon egg has been recovered; we may actually have a chance against Galbatorix now!" King Orrin sputtered, excited. Nasuada had a similar reaction. However, Eragon still noticed Arya's downcast expression. He cleared his throat, and asked, "How did we recover it?"

Arya was silent for a while. Then, she said, "An elf named Vaenna infiltrated Urabaen, entered the castle, and stole the egg. She teleported it ten minutes ago to Queen Izlanzadi. "

Then, turning her attention to Eragon, Arya continued, "Eragon, since we need you to teach whomever the egg will hatch for, we will need you to head for Gil'ead as soon as possible. I have called this meeting to inform you of these tidings and to determine when Eragon comes with me to Gil'ead."

There was a moment of silence. Then, Nasuada said, "The Varden needs Eragon's help for the siege of Belatona. Because of this news, we will siege Belatona tomorrow. After that, Eragon will fly to Gil'ead. What do you think, King Orrin?"

King Orrin nodded his consent. "Very well, Eragon, you better get some sleep now…you too, Arya."

Silently, Arya rose from her chair and departed the house. Surprised, Eragon excused himself and followed Arya out of the door.

"Arya, are you all right? You seemed a little off just now."

Arya sighed. Then, she said, "No, I'm just a little sad about the death of my friend…"

Eragon's curiosity was piqued. "Your friend?"

Arya smiled. "I used to be best friends with Vaenna. She knew about Faolin and I, and when I returned to Ellesmera, I told her everything about my life in the Varden. We didn't see each other for nearly fifty years, after all. She was always a headstrong elf, always looking to do something directly against Galbatorix. Because of our friendship, she often suggested to my mother that we actually do something against Galbatorix, to directly assist the Varden in their efforts. My mother had always said no, until just a few weeks ago, when you arrived at Ellesmera."

"Two days ago, at the siege of Gil'ead, Vaenna realized that the elves had very little chance of winning the war at their present state. Galbatorix had not even made an appearance, yet Oromis, the last rider of old, had been slain, and many elves had died whilst taking the city. So, this morning, without telling anyone, she set off for Ura'baen, knowing that the egg must be located somewhere in the palace. I do not know how she found the egg, nor how she managed to penetrate the defenses around it, but whatever the case, she died retrieving it, a hero to the elves. Because of her sacrifice, we now have the third dragon egg. "

By the time Arya finished, her voice wavered, and her eyes glittered with the film of tears. Knowing that Arya would appreciate some comfort, Eragon walked over and hugged her, patting her awkwardly on the back.

"Now another one of my friends is dead…first Faolin/Glenwing, and now Vaenna," Arya contemplated sadly. "Who's next? Am I going to lose you, as well?" Arya asked, addressing Eragon directly.

Eragon chuckled. "You'll never lose me…Galbatorix wants me alive, remember? But if I do die, I'll be the one dictating it, on my terms."

Arya smiled. Then, pulling away, she said, "Thank you. I needed that." Eragon quickly released her, and then said, "I guess I'll see you on the battlefield tomorrow?"

"Yes. Farewell for now, Eragon Shadeslayer. May your sword stay sharp." Then, she headed back, alone, to her tent.

Attempting to contact Saphira to tell her what had happened, but realizing that she was still inebriated, Eragon set off for his tent, eager to get a good night's rest for tomorrow.

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A/N: I'm really sorry if the Arya/Eragon scene felt really cheesy, but first, I'm not good at romance, and second, I'm trying to keep the characters as accurate as possible. If I went with fluff, then Arya and Eragon would've sounded really OOC. Oh, and I read a few requests for a backstory with Vaenna, so...there you go. :) So, apologize for the late update and bad chapter, and review!

P.S. More reviews would be nice. At first, it was a 4-1 ratio (review-read), but now, it's 10-1. Grr…And for that one author that story alerted me but didn't review, GRRR…lol. Just review.


	4. Fall of Belatona

**Review Reply**

**E.L: **Yeah, I take issue with people who make Arya/Eragon horrendously OOC too. Well, here's the update!

**Beneaththemenoatree: **Thanks for the review, see comment above.

**Canadian-Girl14: **Why thank you! Lol.

**Elvin blade: **Nice catch, I fixed that up. Vaenna is Arya's best friend, not aunt. And you know what makes me even more riled up? Someone actually added my story to favs yet didn't review! OMG OMG OMG!!!

**B-Ball Boy C: **I'M THE BEST WRITER SINCE TOLKIEN! 'Nuff said.

Just kidding, lol, well, if you read my criticism of other stories you'll see why I don't particularly like mine. Although my story has some incredible plot…I already have it thought out, and it's amazing.

**Buddy: **Thnx, a new reviewer! Well, the only reason I don't do Arya's POV is b/c Arya is waaaay too complex a character. She defies logic. If I'm going to do an Arya POV, it'll be farther along the story, when I can make her a little OOC.

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**Chapter 2: Fall of Belatona**

"_We make war so that we may live in peace." –Aristotle_

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Armund gripped his sword tightly with sweaty hands, as he stood upon the walls of Belatona.

"This is it…" He thought sadly. "I'm going to die here." He was no fool and knew that the entire Varden was going to siege the city. There was no hope for survival.

As he awaited the inevitable assault, he thought about his wife. His children. _What would I give to just see my boy become a man…_

He snapped out of his thoughts as the sergeant exclaimed, "Shadeslayer spotted!"

He immediately looked up. Then, something sapphire blue dove out of the clouds. The archers raised their bows to the air and fired. At least a hundred arrows rose into the air, going straight for the silhouette of the dragon.

Armund couldn't believe it. Were the famed riders really so easy to kill? Then, after a few seconds, he realized that the arrows should've hit their target by now…

Now, the arrows seemed to be getting bigger…in fact, it was as if they-

"INCOMING!" The officer, Salistor, screamed. He immediately crouched behind his shield, while the archers ran for the safety of the watchtowers.

Some of them didn't make it. As if a God were playing tricks on them, the archers screamed as they were killed by their own weapons.

By the time the arrows stopped, Armund raised his face to see a huge army massed and marching their way. Even worse, the rider was nearly here…

The rider leapt from the dragon's back as the dragon flew overhead, lighting up the city with fire. He landed without the slightest sound and began to slash his blue sword through the soldiers clustered along the wall.

His comrades attempted to fight back, but it was no use. The rider was too quick. With a single slash, he cleaved his way through three guards; then, turning and riposting, he continued his killing spree, slaying all within reach. Even when a blade finally reached the rider, it was turned aside by an unseen force. _Magic_, he thought, briefly surprised.

He saw his officer, Salistor, go down…then the sergeant…and finally, it was his turn. He stared into the brown eyes of the rider…

The rider brought his sword whistling through the air. By sheer force, his blade was knocked out of his hands. Then, as if in a dream, he saw the rider spin around and slash at his left side…

The blade cleaved his body from head to toe.

He fell to the ground, blood pouring out of his fatal gash. Feeling the promise of eternal slumber overtake him, he thought of Cecilia and felt sad, knowing that she would be widowed. Hell, she might even get married to another man. A twinge of jealousy entered his thoughts…

And then everything went black.

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Perched atop Saphira's back, Eragon looked down at the smoldering city. Although the siege had gone by swimmingly, Eragon regretted the fact that such a beautiful city had gone into ruins.

_You are too narrow minded,_ Saphira chided. _Would you prefer if the Elven forests were burned down, or the Dwarven caves collapsed? In war, we must all make sacrifices. _

Eragon smiled at Saphira's unfailing logic. _It is indeed a futile prospect to argue with a dragon, _Eragon remarked.

Before Saphira could say anything, Eragon felt Arya contact him with her mind. _Yes?_

_Meet me at the northern gates of Belatona. I have already contacted Nasuada-she says you are free to leave. Also, Blodhgarm and the other Elven spellcasters will remain behind._

Eragon's eyes looked for the northern gate. Due to his enhanced vision, he was able to make her out instantly.

_Yes, I see you. Saphira, would you mind—_

Saphira launched herself into a dive, sending Eragon's heartbeat flying upwards. After a minute, they located Arya. Upon seeing them, Arya leapt into the air and landed perfectly on Saphira's back, behind Eragon.

"Took you long enough," Arya remarked.

Eragon chuckled in response. Then, Saphira continued her glide and ascended into the air, her scales gleaming in the sun.

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A/N: Rather short chapter. I would've made it longer with in-depth descriptions of the siege, but it would have ended up sounding like a bad ripoff of Paolini's Feinster Siege. So there. This time, I'm not going to say I'm a bad writer or make any excuses. Don't let me down by not reviewing!


	5. A Touch of Nostalgia

**Review Reply**

**Lilithas: **New chapter-'nough said.

**Canadian-Girl14: **Yeah,I didn't want to make a rip-off of Feinster, so…

**CJ:** I'm not going to use your full name lol. I'm having problems reviewing your story too, so no worries. I'll try to make this chapter longer…

**Elvin-blade: **Lots of people registering complaints with the length, let me work on that…

**E.L**: So far, everyone likes my soldier scenes. That's good. =D

**G. Willakers:** People like you keep me going. Thanks for all the praise, I'll try to continue this story as long as possible.

**Buddy**: The soldier POV was kind of filler. Basically, I didn't want to write a long and grueling fight scene like Paolini did, so I cheated a little.

**B-Ball Boy C:** Your story is pretty good except for what I addressed…hope you can fix that. Yes, I see your point of view, but really, I'm still reading it and I can't make heads or tails out of it.

**To all who didn't review**: Shame on you. LOL. Just review, k? More reviews=faster updates and more stuff in the update. And I often address your complaints/praise, both literally and figuratively.

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**Chapter 3: A Touch of Nostalgia**

"_You would think being a real live faerie princess would make your story fairy-tale-life-like, but fairy tales only __**end**__ well. While the story is going on, horrible things happen. Remember Rapunzel? Her prince got…blinded. Rapunzel's tears magically restored his sight, but that was at the end of the story. Cinderella was little better than a slave. Snow White was actually nearly killed four different times by the evil queen... Pick any fairy tale that's based on older stories, and the heroine of the piece has a miserable, dangerous, nightmarish time of it." –Princess Meredith NicEssus_

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Daylight was fading when they finally made it to Teirm.

Saphira and Eragon initially wanted to make a beeline for Gil'ead, which would take just six hours and place them in Gil'ead before dinner. However, Arya told them that Ura'baen was in the way. If Murtagh and Galbatorix were to see them, then they were as good as dead. So, after a brief debate, they decided to fly to Teirm, take a rest, and head to Gil'ead the next day.

And that was five hours ago. Five hours of being next to Arya. Five hours of having her arm strapped to Eragon's waist. Five hours of Eragon's face being red as a raspberry. Eragon wasn't sure if he was in heaven or hell. Maybe both. Countless times, Eragon had heard Saphira make a coughing noise which Eragon knew to be a badly repressed snicker or laugh. Eragon wanted to get up and hamstring her, but he couldn't…for obvious reasons. And during the midst of it all, Arya merely looked down at the land below, admiring the scenery, content to remain silent amidst the flight.

They soon landed in a cave that was conveniently hidden from view by the mountains which bordered Teirm. Saphira would spend the night, hunting for herself, while Eragon and Arya would enter the city, get a meal, stay at an inn, and resume their journey for Gil'ead in the morning.

"Moi," Eragon whispered, concentrating on his face. He felt his cheek bones pop downward, his ears become round, his jaw become ragged. Beside him, Arya did the same.

As they made their way to the city, Arya gave a sigh of contentment.

"What is it?" Eragon asked, bemused.

"I've never seen the sea before. And all the stories, the poetry, about the sea are true. It's beautiful…"

Eragon smiled, recalling his first visit to Teirm. However, whereas Arya was infatuated with the sea, Eragon was overcome with the splendor of the city.

When Eragon and Arya arrived at the gates, the soldiers merely waved them in with a bored expression.

"That was easy," Arya said, surprised.

Eragon nodded. "Security has worsened since I was last here…it appears as if the vast majority of the soldiers were sent to the front lines, to combat the Varden and the elves."

"Yes. So should we go to an inn?"

"Actually, I was thinking about eating at a different location," Eragon said. "Usually, the inns serve meat and mead. Since you don't eat either of them, maybe we should get our food somewhere else?"

Arya raised an eyebrow. "I was not aware that humans have vegetarian places to eat…" She trailed off, looking doubtful.

"You're right, but let's just walk around anyway. I didn't see a lot of Teirm the last time I was here, and there just might be a luxury restaurant that has a salad."

Arya nodded her agreement, and the two of them walked on, looking at the shops and the people cluttered amongst the streets.

By some twist of fate, they had stumbled upon a rainless Teirm. Nearly all of the buildings were a shining ivory white, caused by a mixture of rainwater and sun along the sides. The citizens bustled about on the streets, providing a constant stream of lively chatter, which melded in with the _clup clup clup_ sound that the horses made. However, perhaps most striking was the delightful freshness that pervaded the city, which was enhanced by the salty sea air.

Eragon couldn't believe it. He had stayed in Teirm before with Brom, for over a week, but he had never seen the city as he did now-beautiful, radiant, and alive.

He felt Arya tug his shoulder, and he acquiesced, following her through the streets. As they walked, side by side, people advertising their wares called out to them.

"Perhaps you would like a sparkling silver necklace for the pretty lady? Only 10 gold pieces!"

"Fresh fruits sir, straight from the garden, picked in the morning!"

"Have a delicious meal and a good night's rest at the Green Garden Inn!"

"Wait a minute," Eragon said. "Green garden inn? That sounds perfect!"

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When they walked into the inn, it was immediately clear that this was a luxury inn. Eragon noticed plush furnishing adorned with gold trimmings, large and spacious tables with tablecloths over them, and the fabulous artwork that adorned the inn. The men there wore expensive-looking debonair suits, while the ladies had beautiful dresses with flowing patterns. Eragon looked at his own ragged shirt, wrinkled and slightly grimy, and winced. Although Arya looked gorgeous…but then again, when was Arya _not_ gorgeous?

The female clerk at the office greeted them with a smile. "This is the Green Garden Inn, how many I help you?"

"Yes, we would like to rent a room here…how much would a room cost?" Eragon asked.

"Our hotel is the most extravagant hotel in Teirm. Generally, only the nobility can afford to rent rooms here," The clerk said in a matter-of-fact tone, glancing at Eragon's wind-swept shirt. "It is 50 gold coins a night. And that doesn't count the meal, although the price is reduced for those who stay here."

From her pompous tone, it sounded as if the clerk was confident that they wouldn't be staying here. Even Arya turned around, clearly intent on leaving. However, Eragon decided to take a stab in the dark. He counted out 50 gold coins from his bag and laid them on the counter. "Will this do?" He asked, savoring the clerk's astonished expression.

"Y-yes, it w-will do," The clerk said, evidently surprised. She gave them one last curious glance before saying, "After me sir."

As Eragon and Arya followed the clerk, Arya whispered, "You didn't and shouldn't have done that."

Eragon mischievously smiled. "I couldn't resist," He said, winking. Arya rolled her eyes as she continued up the stairs, making sure to lift her skirt to avoid tripping on it.

They arrived at the end of a hallway to a door with a keyhole and handle on it. The clerk bent over and opened the door with a single golden key.

"Here is your room. You may give me the key by the end of tomorrow. The maids will be here early tomorrow morning to clean up the room. There is the state of the art shower enclosed in the bathroom. All of the floors are paved with marble, and your room has access to one of the best views in Teirm. Remember, your room is 813. Here is your key." She handed over the key, and departed, leaving Eragon and Arya to admire the room.

"It certainly is…nice." Arya remarked, running her fingers over the smooth silk bed sheets. Again, Eragon was reminded by how rich and prosperous some people were…and how poor the rest of the Empire fared. He sighed, and then noticed a fruit basket on the bed. Picking up a pear, he was about to take a bite when he felt something, or rather someone, touch his mind.

_Saphira?_ He thought, casting his mind out.

_Yes, it's me. I just finished taking a nice long nap…most enjoyable. So what have you and Arya been up to? _Saphira asked, putting special emphasis on the Arya part.

_Well, we just found a nice little hotel to stay in and we'll be getting our dinner soon. What about you? _

_I'm hunting right now. I saw a rabbit, and it reminded me of you, so I decided to contact you._ Saphira said. She then sent a mental picture of the remains of a rabbit, all covered up with gore.

_Oh, thanks, how lovely. Good idea though, Arya and I should get our dinner now. Talk to you later._

_Bye._ Saphira severed the mental link. Eragon then returned to reality to find the pear still in his hand, and Arya looking at him quizzically.

"Saphira," He explained, mentally cursing at himself for his inability to multi-task. It was a key element of riders to be able to communicate with their dragons while doing other things. Apparently, that was one ability Eragon had not yet mastered. Arya nodded, and then threw an apple core into a trash bin.

"Well, we can't sit here eating fruit for dinner," Arya said. "Let's go get some dinner. Since this is _The Green Garden Inn_, they should have some salad."

They arrived downstairs at the large and spacious dining room to find most of the tables filled. In fact, as Eragon scanned the tables, _all_ of them were filled.

"…Table for two please, thank you," Arya was saying to the waiter. The waiter looked at the mass of tables.

"I'm sorry, all of our tables are taken. However, there are two seats available by the Governor of Gil'ead…Gorling, I believe his name was. Would you like to sit with them instead?"

Eragon caught Arya's eye. The thought of _Why not?_ entered his mind. He smiled at the waiter and said, "We'lll take it."

"All right…now all we need are your names?"

"I'm Neal, and this is my wife-" Eragon suddenly felt a mental kick in his head from Arya, and changed tack immediately, wincing. "-I mean, my sister, Brinda. We are both from Feinster."

The waiter nodded, and then escorted them to the table. As Eragon caught sight of the nobles, he felt Arya give a start.

_What is it? _He thought.

_The one in the center with the red cheeks who looks inebriated…he was one of the ones who tortured me in Gil'ead. I believe he was the captain, if I'm not mistaken._

_What?!_ Eragon exclaimed. _Well, act natural and stay calm. Besides, he looks drunk already…he probably won't notice._

They broke off the connection as they arrived at the table. All of the people at the table, which included three men and three girls, turned to look at them. The largest man, with a thick, black mustache, addressed the waiter. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry Lord Gorling, but these guests would like to dine here and there are no more tables. I was wondering if they could dine with-"

"Say no more," Lord Gorling interrupted. "They are welcome. Come, my guests, what are your names?"

"I'm Era-Neal and this is my sister, Brinda. We come from Feinster." Ironically, Eragon realized, this was actually quite true-they technically did _come_ from Feinster.

"Well, hello Neal and Brinda!" Lord Gorling exclaimed. "Here take a seat-the waiter will be here momentarily. You can just call me Oliby. This is my wife, Celina," He said, drawing their attention to a beautiful, pale lady in a white dress. "The captain of the guard, Tazanis-" The man with a red face and a slightly dazed expression waved at them- "His wife, Tarlana-" A woman with blond curls flashed a beaming smile-"My son, Arlon-" A slender, handsome young man who looked to be 20 smiled-"And finally, his girlfriend, Molraria-" A brunette girl, with freckles all over her face, winked at them momentarily, before bringing her attention back to Lord Gorling. "Now that all the introductions are made, let's get some dinner!"

Eragon glanced at his menu. Fortunately for Arya, there was indeed a salad, but unfortunately for him, there was nothing else that didn't contain meat. _It would look suspicious if I didn't eat meat anyway…_He reasoned.

"So where do you come from, Neal?" Lord Gorling asked. "Feinster, was it?" Eragon nodded. "How is life there?"

Before Eragon could respond, Arlon cut in. "I thought Feinster was captured by those blasted Varden a few days ago?"

"Yes, we evacuated from Feinster a few days ago," Eragon said, attempting to look sad.

Lord Gorling nodded somberly too. "I was the former governor of Gil'ead…now, Gil'ead has been taken over by those rebels. I was one of the few who was smart enough to leave early before it happened."

He shook his head, as if attempting to get rid of a troublesome thought, before addressing Arya. "But we have been ignoring you, my lady friend! My, aren't you pretty!"

Arya smiled demurely.

Tazanis, the captain in Gil'ead, peered at Arya for a closer look. "I'm not exactly sure, but it feels like I've seen her before…"

"Well, a woman like that is bound to draw some attention!" Lord Gorling exclaimed. The ladies around the table burst in laughter, while the men chuckled. However, Tazanis continued to look suspiciously at Arya.

The waiter arrived. After giving their orders, talk resumed amongst the table. From the beginning to the end, Lord Gorling dominated the conversation. The subject of the Varden was a hot topic; Lord Gorling was especially infuriated with what he referred to as, "blasted rebels".

"Those insolent infidels, the blasted Varden!" Lord Gorling exclaimed. "Galbatorix ushered in a new age of prosperity for us and those stupid Varden just have to ruin it! Remember all that wealth that we had to leave behind? Remember?!"

"Peace, father," Arlon said, with a calm voice. "I'm sure the Varden won't stay a threat very long…either they will take over, and life will resume its course, or Galbatorix will quench the rebellion and we will regain our estates."

Lord Gorling, still huffed, apologized and placed his napkin on his knees. Eragon was somewhat shocked by the outburst. He had always pictured the Varden cause as necessary and righteous, yet here was a person whose social rank and career was shattered by them. _Nothing is entirely good or entire bad,_ He reasoned. _There are no heroes without any criminals…_

* * *

When the courses were finally served, Eragon was amazed by the quality of the food. A scrumptious chicken, fried brown to perfection, lay on his silver tray, surrounded by leaves of lettuce and various fruits. It both smelled and looked delicious. He tried to put aside his qualms and eat the chicken, whilst Arya picked at her salad.

The chicken soon made him thirsty, and he browsed the menu for a drink. Lord Gorling, ever the gentleman, recommended a wine for Eragon and picked up the tab, telling him, "It's my favorite." After some coercing, Arya went with the same wine as well.

The conversation continued late into the night. The food was delicious, and wine and mead were aplenty. At last, when Eragon felt sleepy beyond belief and it was probably nighttime, did he politely excuse himself and head upstairs.

They tottered up the stairs, fumbled with the keys, opened the door, and headed straight for the beds. Feeling remarkably sleep deprived, Eragon collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep immediately.

The next morning, Eragon woke, feeling fuzzy. His winced and started to prop himself up, only to see a razor sharp sword suspended a few inches above his neck. As he looked around desperately, he saw Arya bound with ropes on the bed beside his and Lord Gorling smiling. "Good morning, Neal…or should I say, Eragon Shadeslayer of the Varden?"

* * *

A/N: I made this chapter way too long in the middle. I already tried to condense it, but the fact is, it drags in the middle and makes you sleepy…only to realize the impact of the last paragraph. Yup, it's a cliffhanger. Noting that the primary concern was the length, I made this chapter far longer than my other ones. Well, enjoy. =D Reviews would be appreciated…especially considering that this is my longest chapter so far. Give me too little reviews, and I might start doing demands...**YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Mwhahahahaha….*evil laugh*.**


	6. An Ingenious Escape

****

Review Reply

**M: **Notice how the complaints I get aren't about the writing, the style, the grammar…they're all about the believability lol. Well, may I introduce Eragon, our new Cold-Blooded Killer. Hehe.

**Aussie surfer:** Nah, I have a more ingenious way…Eragon makes up for his fiasco last night with this brilliant plan lol.

**Mjs: **Thnx for the praise, here's the update, wow, I think I review replied someone else in a former chapter the exact same way lol. Although I made it different just by adding that. =D

**iWriter88**: Omg my evil twin…how dare you review on my story!!!

**Canadian-Girl14: **Yup, I add in humor occasionally. =D

**B-Ball Boy C: **Yea…well, I don't exactly research that much. I try to keep the characters in character and the plot-line generally straight (for instance, adding guns to the story lol), but for some of your complaints, I actually did check up on Inheritance Wiki about technology…yup, it looks like Paolini was rather vague on that. Arya directly states at one point that she's going to get a shower-the question is, where? So I simply added my touches here and there. Thnx for the lengthy review tho, I'll attempt to make my story more realistic.

**Buddy**: Don't worry, they won't go through that _much _torture. Lol, I'm kidding, read on and find out.

**E.L**: Thnx, although it kinda was coming to them. Sitting down at a table with a guy who has personally seen Arya before isn't wise. But then again, they were in desperate need for some vegetables, and they already paid so much for the rooms here.

**:** You're the 2nd person so far to say that. =D Sorry I didn't come up with a huge review reply like I did with everyone else. =(

**Lilithas:** Gorling knew some point through dinner. It's not stated and is open for interpretation, but my explanation is that Tazanis caught Gorling's eye, motioned for the bathroom, they excused themselves, and then Tazanis told Gorling who Neal was. A lot of things toward the end are left to interpretation, because I was getting lazy and tired and decided to make the readers speculate. xD

**Woody2792:** A new reviewer! Thnx, I'll do my best. Oh, and about the relationship…

--THIS IS NOT A REAL CHAPTER—THIS IS NOT A REAL CHAPTER—THIS IS NOT A REAL CHAPTER—THIS IS

_50 chapters later_

"Eragon, I love you." Arya said, smiling into his brown eyes which were flecked with gold. Eragon, ever the awkward gentleman, whispered, "I-I love you too."

--END OF HYPOTHETICAL CHAPTER—END OF HYPOTHETICAL CHAPTER—END OF HYPOTHETICAL

It's all hypothetical of course lol. How do you know that Eragon and Arya will even get together? What if I decide, with a few taps on the keyboard, to kill Eragon or Arya? o.O? Mwhahaha being a writer gives you so much power!

**Pupdawg:** Thnx for the praise. =D Your story, if I remember, was pretty darn amazing too…hmm, let me go check it out. I was actually kind of disappointed when I found other stories with quotes at the beginning too…I actually really thought it was an original concept. And there was a writer that stole my summary format, GRRR. Lol. Thnx for the review! You don't have to make them so long-winded next time, as long as you review. Hehe. I'm so selfish lol.

**EragontheBallPython:** Blasted reviewer! How dare you criticize me!!!

…Just kidding, thnx for the review, love your username lol.

**Deathmaniac:** Oooh thnx.

**To everyone:** If you're distressed/laughing your head off at my review replies, don't worry. I'm a little high right now…hmm…oh well, onto next chapter, don't lambast me if you find the entire chapter filled with inside jokes. But wait, we're doing the capture scene right? SHITAKE MUSHROOMS!!!

* * *

**Chapter 4: An Ingenious Escape**

"_That was brilliant Harry!"—Ron Weasley_

* * *

**Previously, in ****Legacy****,**

The next morning, Eragon woke, feeling fuzzy. His winced and started to prop himself up, only to see a razor sharp sword suspended a few inches above his neck. As he looked around desperately, he saw Arya bound with ropes on the bed beside his and Lord Gorling smiling. "Good morning, Neal…or should I say, Eragon Shadeslayer of the Varden?"

--Chapter Starts Now--

Eragon was shocked. How did Lord Gorling know it was him? Surely he needed substantial evidence to accuse him like that? And didn't him and Arya change their appearances?

Lord Gorling chuckled. "You must be wondering how we knew your identities. Well, Tazanis here-" Lord Gorling patted Tazanis on the back- "used to be merely a sergeant when this elf captive, Arya, was found in Gil'ead. And Tazanis was ordered by the shade to use her…well, she proved to be rather feisty and Tazanis found himself in quite some pain. Now my friend here can finish what he started."

Eragon looked desperately at Arya. Surprisingly, he realized that his mind connection was still intact and that he could use his magic. He cast out his mind desperately for Saphira….only to find it blocked by another group of minds.

"Yes, Eragon, six or seven guards here all are competent magicians. Your magic is useless here, and I'll be able to bring you and your elf friend to Ura'baen. But before we do that, Tazanis…"

Hearing this, Eragon knew that the time to act was _now._ He thought in his mind, _Jierda! and Horna Vaetyr (Hear Nothing)_, while quickly kicking his foot up at the sword pointed to his throat. Then, springing up off the bed, he caught it and ran the sword across three of the guards, sending blood splashing into the air.

Arya leapt in the air to join the fray. Together, they eliminated the group of soldiers. Lastly, they turned on Gorling, who paled visibly and began to make a dash for the door. Before he could take a single step, Eragon whipped his blade across, beheading him.

In merely two seconds, ten guards had fallen without a sound. Eragon smiled at Arya. "That was easy."

"But it will be harder to escape Teirm entirely." She said, looking uncomfortable. "Lord Gorling probably has the entire building surrounded with soldiers. We can't kill them all."

"I'll call Saphira." Arya pondered it quickly, and then nodded. But, just before Eragon was about to cast his mind out, he had a sudden stroke of genius. "Actually, Arya, I have a much better idea…"

* * *

The guards stiffened as Lord Gorling, accompanied with his friend Tazanis, stepped out of the Shadeslayer's room.

"Sir!" The two guards said, bowing slightly. Lord Gorling smiled slightly, while the captain merely walked onward, his face expressionless.

"That's weird," One of the guards whispered to the other. "Usually it's Tazanis who smiles at us and Gorling who ignores us."

The other guard gave a shrug. "Who knows?"

* * *

Eragon and Arya walked down the hallways, down the stairs, and outside the door to find hundreds of guards assembled. _Wow…_Eragon thought. _Thank god for my plan._

Four guards at the front of the army walked over. "How was your incident with the prisoner, Lord Gorling and Captain Tazanis?"

"The rebel captive still isn't talking," Eragon replied, doing his best to imitate Gorling's pompous manner. "Tazanis and I are going to head to a coffee shop to relieve our throats.

"In the case, can we escort you?" A guard asked.

"It's just a damn coffee shop; do you really think I need protection?" The guard who had asked the question winced at Lord Gorling's glare.

"R-right you are sir. I apologize." Then, he motioned for to his fellows and they rejoined the army.

Eragon couldn't help but grin when they walked past the soldiers. When he presented his seal to the guards at the gate, they merely gave a respectful salute before waving them through.

When they finally reached Saphira, they merely dropped the glamour, changing them back to Eragon and Arya. Then, they clambered onto Saphira's back and took off for Gil'ead.

* * *

A/N: I apologize for this insanely short chapter, but my reason is justified. I was on vacation for the last three days. This is my first day back, so…well, thanks for the record review turnout, if you don't feel like reviewing this chapter, I understand. But I'd still appreciate one though. =D

And you have to agree with me that Eragon's idea for getting out of the city was ingenious. It was actually my idea lol, since I'm the writer…but yeah.


	7. The Next Dragon Rider

**Review Reply**

**Mjs: **I was held up on this chapter due to rewrites…this chapter was the hardest to write for me so far. I just couldn't get the chapter to flow as well as it normally did. So here's your update, but it's not nearly as good as ch.4 was. Still, enjoy!

**FurionKnight: **Glad to know it, sorry about this late update, I kept doing rewrites. (More on that later.)

**Elvendiath**: I thought Arya was too proud to allow that to happen lol…mental kick ftw. And fifth review to like Eragon's/my idea.

**CJ: **Had a fun holiday, thnx for the review. Oh, and I assure you that this is going to be the longest chapter yet!

**Lilithas:** Wow, 10 reviews for a short chapter. Not bad. I guess everyone likes humor then!

**:** I feel like I've just missed out on some type of inside joke. o.O…well, Eragon just earned his lunch today.

**Canadian-Girl14: **You are my new role model for a reviewer. That was such a splendid, precise, quaint, interesting review you just gave. Attention all non-reviewers, I would like you guys/girls to read it. Amazing.

**E.L:** Second reviewer to say that! Yes, I figured I might as well get underway with Eragon's eventual maturity…

**KyuuinShinkei**: Sorry to say this, but I'm not the same iWriter. Well, thnx for the praise, but I do have one question-what's wrong with my sentence structure? I'm not going to pass up an opportunity to make my writing better lol.

**Woody2792:** 3rd person to say that, although technically it was my idea…oh well, Eragon can take the credit.

**Aussie surfer:** 4th person to say that, but believe it or not, I'm making it up as I go along. I have a loose plot (for example I definitely wanted to drop a cliffhanger soon, and I have pretty clear ideas on next rider, how story will move along) but I got the idea when I was on an hour-long car ride.

**EragontheBallPython:** Yeah, if everything goes according to plan this chapter, it will be my longest yet. There's a lot to cover with this chapter. And, like all my chapters, I will most likely drop in some humor at the beginning, bring us to serious plot stuff, and then end with either an OMFG event or a setup for the next chapter.

**Buddy:** Thought you might appreciate that!

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Next Dragon Rider**

"_No, Prince Sozin. We are here to announce the identity of the next Avatar. (kneels down and bows) It is an honor to serve you, Avatar Roku. (stunned silence; then everyone follows his example and bows)" –Fire Sages _

_

* * *

_

Eragon stared into the horizon. They had already flown for three long and grueling hours. Due to his lack of breakfast, his stomach was grumbling like an earthquake, and his lack of sleep only intensified his boredom. So he continued to stare into the horizon, fervently wishing that he could make time go faster. Slowly, his vision blurred…

_The chaos of war surrounded him. Dead men littered the alleyways of a city, and he was suddenly aware of a blade in his hand. Brisingr? No, this blade was shorter. A knife. It was a vivid green, with a serpent on its pommel. He reached out with the knife, and stabbed himself in the chest, feeling both pain and freedom as he did so…_

Suddenly, a bright flash of red crossed his eyes, bringing him out of his stupor. He winced at the brief, intense flash before raising his head again and looking more closely. However, he saw nothing.

_What was that? _Eragon asked to no one in particular. However, Saphira heard and replied, _I'm not sure but if I didn't know better, it looked like a big, hovering ruby to me…_

Eragon smiled. _That's impossible. But still, what was that?_

Suddenly, Eragon was bathed in shadow. He frantically looked up to see Murtagh and his dragon Thorn bearing down on him.

"SAPHIRA!" Eragon screamed.

Saphira quickly did a snap roll to her right Thorn dove forward, ramming the space vacated by Saphira with his head. Arya's eyes snapped open from her elven nap (which isn't even a nap at all…super-sleep lol).

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Thorn and Murtagh just ambushed us! Fly, Saphira, fly!" Eragon shouted. He glanced back to see Thorn open his mouth. An enormous gout of flame erupted, heading straight for Saphira. Thinking quickly, Eragon improvised, "Letta orya brisingr!" (Stop the flames!)

The flames halted in midair, before quickly dissipating. Eragon sighed with relief, only to find Thorn bursting through the smoke and Murtagh bringing an arrow to his bow.

"It is time for you to sleep, my brother…" He said loudly and slowly, his voice booming through the distance. Then, with an impassive expression, he notched the arrow to his bow and fired.

The arrow sped through the air slowly, spinning around in a circular motion as it cut through the air. Eragon, with his heightened sense of reflexes, saw it slowly spin forward…

"Letta orya thorna!" (Stop the arrow!) However, much to his surprise, the arrow continued on its path and pierced Saphira's right wing. She gave a howl of pain before continuing on her flight.

Eragon was dumbfounded. How did that happen? He opened his mouth to heal Saphira, but received a "Don't" from Arya.

Arya quickly mouthed a few words. In a flash, the arrow snapped and dropped out of Saphira's wing, while the thin membrane quickly knitted itself back together. _Thanks,_ Saphira said.

Two more arrows flew through the air, but this time, Eragon leapt from the saddle and managed to pick them out of the sky. He quickly whispered, "Ganga fram thorna." (Go forward arrows) The arrows flew directly toward Thorn. Before they could make contact, however, the arrows burst into flames.

Eragon had no time to deal with why, however. More arrows were being fired, and he was being forced to pick them out of the air, one by one. Arya, in the meantime, attempted to batter at Murtagh's mind, seeking to disorient him.

It was a nightmarish, hectic flight. After a few tense minutes, they finally arrived at Gil'ead, with Murtagh and Thorn in tow.

Compared to Teirm, Gil'ead was a dreary, somber city. In direct contrast with Teirm's white walls, salty sea air, and pleasant atmosphere, Gil'ead featured gray walls, smoke billowing into the air, and noxious fumes that could be smelled a mile away.

Eragon took a glance back. There were archers stationed on the walls. Would they be of any help? Eragon doubted so, but he was fairly confident that Murtagh wouldn't chase him past the walls.

Knowing this, Eragon continued with his task. Saphira was faster than Thorn, and they would soon be safe…

Unfortunately, it appeared as if Murtagh knew this as well. He dropped his bow, and raised his hand, his mouth forming words…

Saphira shot by the city as quick as lightning just as a bluish-black bolt of electricity winked into existence and made a beeline for them. However, when it touched the walls, a hidden shield flared into existence and absorbed it.

Eragon breathed a sigh of relief. "That was a little too close for my liking...But well done, Saphira. You saved us."

An exhausted Saphira made a deep, throaty sound which Eragon took to be a chuckle and said, _Thanks._

Eragon glanced at Arya as well. For some strange reason, Arya looked perfectly fine, despite her prolonged mind battle with Murtagh. She still looked concerned as she asked, "Are you two all right?"

Eragon nodded. "Murtagh has gotten more powerful with each visit…I'm guessing Galbatorix has been giving his more Eldunari per failure."

_Where do we land? _Saphira asked, changing the subject. However, it was Arya who responded.

"Knowing my mother, they are almost certainly near the lake. We'll check there first."

Arya was right. At the Isenstar, Eragon could make out a mass of tents spread all along the coastline. He noticed a particularly luxurious tent at one point, which he assumed to be Islanzadi's…in fact, it was mansion-like in its proportions.

Saphira spread her wings luxuriously and began to glide toward the tent. As they got closer, Eragon noticed that all of the elves were staring at them in open awe. He smiled, pleased, and began to straighten out his hair when he noticed that they were staring at _Saphira…_

Saphira snorted. _You've gotten too used to attention, little one. But now, it's my time to shine._

Eragon scowled. _Dragons…greedy little attention hoggers._

_Is that supposed to be an insult?_

_Now, now, Eragon and Saphira, now's not the time to squabble over attention issues. _Arya chided, smiling. Eragon smiled. For some strange reason, ever since the siege at Feinster, Arya had been a lot more vocal and a lot less withdrawn. And, as Eragon just found out, she could be quite humorous as well.

_Smoochie smoochie, someone's in love… _Saphira said, to Eragon. Eragon rolled his eyes before withdrawing back into his mind once again.

When they landed just outside of the royal tent, Queen Islanzadi was there to greet them, all smiles as she walked over.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin, Eragon Shadeslayer." She greeted, in a rich melodious voice.

"Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr," Eragon replied, surprised that _the elven queen_ had actually greeted him _first._

"Un du evarínya ono varda." Islanzadi finished, with a ghost of a smile. Then, turning to Arya, she held out her arms for a hug.

Eragon raised an eyebrow. _Do elves hug each other?_

Saphira snorted. _Did you just ask that question? _

Awkwardly, Arya crossed over to her mother and hugged her back. However, Eragon noticed that Arya was exceedingly uncomfortable, with her eyes darting all over the place. After Islanzadi finally pried her arms off her daughter, Arya quickly stepped back and concealed her emotions with an impassive expression.

"Well, Eragon Shadeslayer, you must wish to rest after your long and arduous flight. However, first I must give this egg to my daughter Arya." Another elf walked along, holding out an emerald green egg in his arms, which was promptly taken and held out to Arya. "This egg will be given to the Varden, in the hopes that they will find a person whom the egg will hatch for. We have already tested most, if not all, of the elven population for a rider. Since the egg still has not hatched, we will honor our agreement and allow the Varden to check."

Arya held out her arms and took the egg. She then proclaimed solemnly, "I will guard the egg with my life."

Queen Islanzadi nodded. Then, she dismissed Eragon, telling him, "You must be weary after such a long flight…I will leave you to rest. Lord Dathedr will show you your quarters. Farewell." Then, she put an arm over Arya and walked inside, whispering in hushed tones.

Saphira, who sat nearby, gazed intently at the queen. Then, she saidto Eragon, _I get the feeling that this was an excuse by Islanzadi to see Arya…after all, couldn't she just have used magic to teleport the egg to the Varden?_

_Maybe she was scared that an accident might occur, _Eragon replied.

_Still, whatever your explanation, you have to admit that there's something suspicious between Arya and her mother. _Eragon nodded, and broke the contact.

Lord Dathedr, who was considered elderly even for the elves, also had a surprised expression on his face. After a few seconds, he motioned for Eragon and Saphira to follow.

"You will be staying in this tent," He said, showing Eragon an ordinary tent with no special perks. "However, your dragon will be staying here."

"Here" turned out to be a huge tent, with black panels laid all across the sides. Whereas Eragon's tent bottom was filled with grass, Saphira's had been cleared out for her and was paved with a smooth, polished stone, similar to marble, with a feathery light blanket on top. Also, when Eragon walked in, he noticed that Saphira's tent was a lot cooler than his.

Eragon couldn't help but feel slighted. However, knowing that it would be churlish to complain, he walked into his tent, head hanging, and dropped down on the blanket the elves supplied him with, which was paltry compared to Saphira's. Then, after getting rid of his stuff, he went off to wander the streets of Gil'ead and find someplace to eat.

* * *

_**Arya's POV**_

Arya looked perfectly at peace with the world on the outside, but in the inside, she was fuming with anger. What was wrong with her mother? Didn't she understand anything? On the verge of tears, she struggled to control her emotions as she hurried to her tent.

When Arya finally made it to her tent flap, she threw the emerald egg on the bed and immediately dropped her emotionless expression. _Atra nosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya _(May I be warded from listeners)_, _she thought hurriedly, and then flopped onto the bed, tears already running out of her eyes. _What am I doing…_ She thought insanely. _Princesses don't cry! And especially not the elven ones! _

Distressed by her nonsensical thought, she continued to weep…until a squeak suddenly burst the silence. Immediately, she got to her feet and prepared to scold mercilessly the idiotic person who had dared invade her privacy. However, her tear-rimmed eyes looked at the door and saw…no one.

Arya looked at the door incredulously. She rubbed her eyes, and looked again. Same result. _Great...now I'm going mad. What's next?_

Suddenly, another muffled, high-pitched squeak pierced the silence like a knife through butter. This time, however, Arya located the sound. She stared intently at the innocent looking egg with disbelief.

A crack formed on the egg. Then another. Soon, the egg completely collapsed. In the center, Arya gaped in amazement as she saw a frail and tiny _dragon._

_

* * *

_

A/N: **First off, I am very sorry for this late update. I realize that it has been around two weeks since my last update, and you have my sincere apologies.**

Second, you may notice a steep drop-off in quality. This chapter was the hardest to write for me so far. I'm dead serious; I completed two rewrites before finally coming up with this. And trust me, the Arya POV was near impossible…

But this is mainly a plot chapter. I did not want to repeat the Teirm scene, so I went with a Murtagh chasing Eragon scene. As you can tell, my fighting scenes are not quite polished and interesting as my other ones...but I still made an effort. :)

Well, here's your update. Don't forget to leave a review! (Even if you want to scold me for updating so late lol.)


	8. Make Love, Not War

**Review Reply**

**3.14**: Thnx…I think I'm actually going to go with another dragon name. Your name, Shrrg, seemed a little aggressive…I wanted something a little more cute and adorable lol. I'm going to be going with _, a reference to another story that I love. 3 Thnx for your suggestion though!

**Pie in the Face**: DUDE IM SORRY OK GOD SHEESH DON'T WAT'S WRONG WITH YOU REVIEWERS?

I mean, I'm sorry for my prompt delay. *cough cough*

Haha jk lol no I'm srsly sorry. Like, I couldn't motivate myself to write a chapter at all, so eventually I was like screw it. Hmm. Well, hope you enjoy this one.

**Elvin blade**: "Omg lol. Im back from lets say a vacation of sorts..sorry I haven't reviewed your previous few chapters but this is the first time I have been on fan fiction in a while. I love the story obviously because if I didn't I wouldn't review lol. Now not that you need any help but here's a few pieces of advice I have. So far the plot is going good and you have kept me interested. Since I missed a few chapters I will start with random things. For one considering eragon is rash at times if Arya told him they saw the person who tortured her im sure Eragon would go all hulk don't touch my elf and found a way to hurt him lol, also I agree eragons idea or yours was ingenious I just wasn't there to tell you earlier so add me to that list. As far as the murtagh scene goes I think there should have been dialouge involved, if I remember correctly doesn't eragon have a plan to convince murtagh to change his name next they meet? O well it doesn't matter much, also I think you should try to slow down your plot in the sense that when you write descriptively that's when your chapters are the best..I wish you the best of luck update soon and I think you might have inspired me to continue writing my fic so give your self a round of applause for greatness lol."

Your review was long so I posted it here for convenience. Ok. Umm…hope it was a good vacation then! Thnx to know that you love my story. I hate my story now. No updates! Haha. Ok good plot, Eragon is rash (yeah my characterizations need a ton of work), Eragon's idea was ingenious (definitely), Murtagh's scene needed dialogue (it sucked I know ), Eragon has a plan? (Oh jeez. Well, let's assume that he was too preoccupied by getting chased to worry about it.) Yay I inspired you to write a fic! Looking nice, I'll look at it sometime.

**M**: Now…obvsly. Sheesh.

**S.K. Greene**: Thnx. Arya's personality has always been rather of a mystery to me. One day she goes off and hugs Eragon, the next day she rejects him under a forest. Who knows what's up with her…

Arya's personality shows that she is very independent. By elven standards (and definitely human standards), she is considered nearly a grown women. (21ish) Put yourself in Arya's place. Why would your mother hug you when you are twenty+ in age? Especially when you know that she doesn't usually do it and your relationship with your mom is strained? It is very unorthodox for their family, and Islanzadi is no doubt doing this for some reason which might be dropped in if I ever decide to update again.

**Woody2792**: Ugh…you won't understand at all why I updated so late for this one then.

**CJ:** Dropoff in quality. I agree. To everything else, all will be revealed in time…Oh wait and for the Murtagh chase scene, I think I'm changing that. There may be a A/N telling you to reread it because it mite be drastically changed.

**Canadian Girl**: Sarcasm? Me? Of course not!

…Ok I give up it was sarcasm. Hahas. But it _was_ a nice review.

**E.L.: **Ok I'll be sure to keep your suggestion in mind.

**Elvendiath**: Umm…hope you're still interested. Because, you know, this story hasn't been updated in _two years! _I have no excuses My deepest apologies.

**Furionknight**: My ideal Arya is one where even though she looks perfect on the outside, there are definite cracks in the inside. Every character has to have flaws, or the character just isn't enjoyable. Umm…sorry for the late update?

: Oh jeez. Um. Yeah. Sorry. Your review turned out ok! That's good.

**Buddy**: It'll be coming soon. Don't worry. Soon as in maybe never, due to my absurd updating, but soon.

**Aussie Surfer**: ^_^ You'll see. JEEZ WHY DOES EVERYONE ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS I MEAN SRSLY IM REPEATING MYSELF LIKE TWENTY TIMES.** –END OF SPAZ-**

Haha jk thnx for the review, hope you don't mind the absurd lateness of this chap.

**Z.Z. Britannia**: Hehe. Love character discriminations. I promise you I'll update again in the next month if you guess correctly which character I love the most. In fact, this offer extends to everyone.

**EVERYONE**: This is a one-time promotional offer! In your next review, after all the comments and criticism and stuff, post a comment as a guess as to which character is my **favorite** character. Now here's where it gets tricky. The updating speed varies on how many people get the character right. Let's go with…

**20 Correct Reviews**: update in within a week.

**15 Correct Reviews**: update in within 2 weeks.

**10 Correct Reviews**: update in within 3 weeks.

**5 Correct Reviews:** update in within a month

**1 Correct Review**: That lucky user will have my chapter shared as a docx and be able to read the next chapter beforehand by a week. Then, I will post my chapter onto .

**HOWEVER!** This offer is only valid to members who **sign in**. You must be a registered user to have this offer apply. So go make accounts! Happy guessing!

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Quick synopsis of _Legacy_ thus far…

Chapter 1:

_**Oaths shattered…**_

_**Choices made…**_

_**A Legacy Revealed.**_

The Varden are teetering on the edge of defeat. They are outnumbered and their only rider, Eragon Shadeslayer, must defeat two riders singlehandedly if they are to achieve victory. The news of the Eldunari is a mixed blessing-although there is now a way to weaken the two riders severely, the knowledge that Galbatorix has hundreds of energy beacons at his disposal is not good. And of course, Galbatorix has also begun work on a new project, one that could prove fatal to the struggling Varden and the waning elves. However, even in the greatest darkness, there is light.

"_I search for the answer!" exclaimed Tenga. "A key to an unopened door, the secret of the trees and plants. Fire, heat, lightning, light…" _What do these words mean? Is it possible that Eragon can use this answer to finally defeat Galbatorix?

And also, where and what is the Rock of Kuthian? _"When all seems lost, and you power insufficient, go to the Rock of Kuthian and speak your name to open the Vault of Souls."_

It has been a hundred years since the sapphire egg was stolen from the depths of Ura'baen Palace, bringing hope to a dwindling nation, and beginning the war that has raged on for a hundred years. Little does anyone know that a similar act will soon take place, shaking the balance once again. But will it be enough to stop the tyrant king?

I now present my version of the final installment to the Inheritance Cycle, by iWriter88. Enjoy.

Chapter 2-7:

An unknown elf sneaks into the palace, takes out multiple guards, and successfully steals the egg. However, the egg is sent to a location in Algaesia and the heroic elf dies in the attempt. The Varden quickly gains information of this momentous event. The elf who died is revealed as **Vaenna**, one of Arya's best friends. Queen Islanzadi is revealed to have possession of the egg. Eragon stays with the Varden for the siege of Belatona (written in the enemy's perspective), and then , after briefly helping out, departs with Arya to the elven encampment in Gil'ead, where his newfound battle prowess can better help the war efforts. Along the way, Eragon stops with Arya at Teirm, where they stay at a lavish hotel (while Saphira sleeps outside…animal cruelty lol). In the hotel, they are found out and quickly surrounded. However, due to extraordinarily quick thinking, Eragon and Arya pose as lords and manage to leave the city under no suspicion. They then arrive at Gil'ead, get briefly chased by Murtagh and Thorn, and then drop down to greet the elves: Queen Izlanzadi, Lord Dathedr, and others. There seems to be tension between Arya and her mother. Why? And in the end of the last chapter, *SPOILER ALERT*, the egg hatches for Arya! And the chapter ends on that note.

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**Chapter 6: Make Love, Not War**

"_Filthy, stinking rich – well, two out of three isn't too bad." _–_Anonymous_

_

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_

Arya looked perfectly at peace with the world on the outside, but in the inside, she was fuming with anger. What was wrong with her mother? Didn't she understand anything? On the verge of tears, she struggled to control her emotions as she hurried to her tent.

When Arya finally made it to her tent flap, she threw the emerald egg on the bed and immediately dropped her emotionless expression. _Atra nosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya _(May I be warded from listeners)_, _she thought hurriedly, and then flopped onto the bed, tears already running out of her eyes. _What am I doing…_ She thought insanely. _Princesses don't cry! And especially not the elven ones! _

Distressed by her nonsensical thought, she continued to weep…until a squeak suddenly burst the silence. Immediately, she got to her feet and prepared to scold mercilessly the idiotic person who had dared invade her privacy. However, her tear-rimmed eyes looked at the door and saw…no one.

Arya looked at the door incredulously. She rubbed her eyes, and looked again. Same result. _Great...now I'm going mad. What's next?_

Suddenly, another muffled, high-pitched squeak pierced the silence like a knife through butter. This time, however, Arya located the sound. She stared intently at the innocent looking egg with disbelief.

A crack formed on the egg. Then another. Soon, the egg completely collapsed. In the center, Arya gaped in amazement as she saw a frail and tiny _dragon._

The dragon was beautiful, a rich emerald green in color, with clear blue eyes and tiny adorable claws which slowly uncurled as it awoke. It was, as Arya thought, the most beautiful little thing in the world…

As Arya continued to stare at the dragon, the dragon calmly met her gaze. Arya was struck by the wisdom, by the clarity that it stared at her. However, after a few tense moments, the dragon collapsed onto the ground, evidently tired. Concerned yet amused, Arya brought her hand up in a simple gesture to pet the dragon. _You need rest, little one_.

To her surprise, when she touched the dragon, she felt a rush of pain rise to her wrist. Pulling her hand up with a sharp gasp, she noted the shapeless mark which quickly coalesced into an iridescent oval, silver like the moon. _The Gedwey Ignasia_, Arya thought. As it formed on her palm, she couldn't resist feeling an overwhelming sense of despair. _I don't need another thing to care for in my life!_ Arya thought angrily. _Everyone I ever cared about is dead!_ _First Faolin, then Vaenna…if I care for this dragon…what happens? What if I'm a bad teacher?_ She paced the room, thinking frantically, her thoughts racing through her mind a million miles a minute.

After a while, she sighed. _First my mother, then this_. _Why. Why do things like this have to happen. Why was I, out of all people, ever born the princess. I'm not particularly smart, I'm not particularly beautiful, my fighting skills are rudimentary compared to the rest of the elves, and I seemed to be doomed for failure._ _Why me?_

Her mind continued to think, until it was finally interrupted by a high-pitched squeal. She looked down to see the dragon, apparently awakening from a nap that lasted a grand total of a minute. Hmm. _Pretty impressive_, Arya thought to herself. _Why can't I got to sleep for a minute whenever I want?_

The dragon crawled over to her and planted itself at Arya's feet. Despite her sadness, Arya couldn't resist giving the adorable little dragon at her feet a smile. _Cute_. She picked her dragon up and placed it on her lap. "I think I'm going to name you Auron. That sounds perfect. What do you think?

Strangely, despite being minutes old, the dragon already mastered the concept of speech. It replied, inside her mind, _Yes._

Arya smiled. _He's perfect. Ugh, I'm going to really have to swallow up my pride and ask Eragon about how to train a dragon. I mean, I've watched the movie and everything, but really, this is really different._ _Hmm…_

Still deep in thought, she picked up Auron in her arms and brought it outside to the morning sky. She briefly considered bringing it to her mother, but after their quarrel, she honestly wasn't in the mood. _Perhaps I'll bring it to see some of Gil'ead…_ she thought. _After all, if I was stuck in an egg for nearly a hundred years, the first thing I'd like to do is get some fresh air. Jeez! How do dragons live in their eggs for so long?_

_

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_

_**Eragon's POV**_

Eragon had just gone through rows and rows of restaurants, and even more shops. Unfortunately, he was seriously getting creeped out by the inhabitants of Gil'ead. After getting drugged and manhandled by jailers in his previous Gil'ead experience, you'd think that his second experience could only get better. But unfortunately for him, as he walked down the street, he noticed that people would randomly stop playing music as they saw him go by. Ladies would suddenly stop talking and stare at him, transfixed. And worst of all were the occasional townsmen who would throw things at him from their buildings, yelling "Traitor!" or stuff like "Bastard!" or the truly alarming "I LOVE YOU!" All of these things were seriously putting Eragon off, so after a few minutes of touring around the city, he began to return to the elven encampment.

However, as he walked down the street, he began to get the feeling that he was being followed. At first, he walked normally, but as the feeling continued to haunt him, he began to grow suspicious. Finally rounding a corner, he quickly pulled out his knife and crouched downward, ready for an attack.

To his surprise, a few teenage girls emerged, whispering to one another. With a sigh of relief, Eragon came out of his hiding spot. He was about to ask the girls whether or not they say a person behind him before they spotted him and squealed with gasps of excitement, "There he is!"

Before he knew it, the girls had surrounded him and were peppering him with questions, such as "What's your favorite hair color?" "Why do you look sooo handsome?" "Eragon, do you think I'm pretty?" After a few seconds of trying to respond, he eventually just gave up and said in an exasperated tone, "Ladies, I'm sorry, but if you're going to just keep bothering me, I'm just going to—"

"Bothering you?" A blond teenage girl asked in an indignant tone. Her cheeks suddenly became flushed, evidently offended. "How dare you!"

Before he knew it, a white powder was thrown into his face. Taken completely by surprise, Eragon felt himself sinking…and sinking…

He woke up in a dark room. A very dark room. And feeling very uncomfortable. Initially puzzled, Eragon peered at his wrists and feet to notice that he was bound from head to toe to a chair with ropes. _Jierda!_ To his surprise, the ropes stayed put. He realized slowly that they must have drugged him to negate his magic. _How humiliating_, Eragon thought to himself. _I can slay a Shade, take out like thousands of urgals, and be feared by Galbatorix, but against teenage hormonal-charged ladies, I'm helpless._

The blonde teenage girl from the streets strode out of the limelight and into Eragon's direct field of vision. After a brief flare of anger, Eragon grudgingly admitted that she was pretty. Very pretty. She had eyes the color of the ocean, with flawless blonde hair that reached her waist. When she flashed a smile at Eragon, Eragon felt himself temporarily gawk before regaining his composure.

"Well, Eragon Shadeslayer of the Varden…" The blonde girl said, smiling ever so sweetly. "My name is Melisande. Just consider me a fan. Now, Eragon…how about a kiss? I promise you, you won't regret it."

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A/N**: OMG CLIFFHANGER. GASP GASP GASP. Will Eragon be lured by a sweet kiss and forget his feelings for Arya? Or will true love prevail? REVIEW!**

**Oh and btw for any old reviewers of **_**Legacy**_**, would you rate this chapter as…1) Better than average 2) Average or 3) Worse than Average? Just out of curiosity. Update coming within a month, see initial Author's note above for conditions!**

**P.S. Please note, chapter 7 (the bad one) has been edited. It's now…more interesting to read! ****No haha the chapter was just atrocious, especially the Murtagh/Eragon scene (as noted by many reviewers). I fixed it up a little.**

**P.P.S. Oh, as a note, Arya is looking to be horrendously OOC. An emotionless Arya just isn't any fun. Hope you guys don't mind. Review!**


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